Dateline Rice for May 17, 2016

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Amherst’s record on low-income students
An article mentions that Rice was one of five finalists for the $1 million Cooke Prize for Equity in Educational Excellence, which goes to a selective college or university with an excellent record of admitting, supporting and graduating outstanding low-income students.
Inside Higher Ed
http://bit.ly/1OxHGW2
Amherst College wins $1M prize for helping low-income students
New Boston Post
http://bit.ly/1W09URd

A digital dive into Rio de Janeiro’s past
A Rice mapping project seeks to illustrate “the social and urban evolution” of Rio de Janeiro since its birth. Alida Metcalf, the Harris Masterson Jr. Professor of History, professor of history and the department chair of history, is quoted.
City Lab (This also appeared in MSN Lifestyle.)
http://bit.ly/1TVs7sD

Pablo Escobar’s chief assassin reveals the 2 things that spook drug lords like ‘El Chapo’ Guzman
Nathan Jones, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Business Insider India (This also appeared in 12 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/24VufZx

Venezuela’s president declares state of emergency as economy worsens
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor of political science, fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about the economic situation in Venezuela and the Texas State Board of Education primary runoff race.
VOA Learning English
http://bit.ly/1XwPFKe
Allegations of fearmongering in education board runoff
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1suFxGw

What you need to ‘master’ to turn your startup into a growth business
An article mentions Frederick Oswald, professor of psychology, and research he participated in.
Byte Start
http://bit.ly/1V7swxz

Ben Rhodes: 5 fast facts you need to know
Alumnus Ben Rhodes ’00 is featured.
Heavy
http://bit.ly/1WBkL4v

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Past, present collide in rough ‘Storm’
Joseph Campana, the Alan Dugald McKillop Chair in English and associate professor of English literature, authored a review of Houston Grand Opera’s “After the Storm.”
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the Star section in the May 17 print edition.)
http://bit.ly/27vdypR

Mexico reshuffles diplomatic corps in response to Trump
After months of near silence regarding Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s “increasingly hostile” comments about Mexico, the country, through its foreign ministry, is now trying to protect its image and respond more vigorously to anti-Mexican rhetoric, according to an issue brief from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The brief was authored by Isidro Morales, nonresident scholar in the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center, a senior professor and researcher at the School of Government and Public Transformation at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Santa Fe campus, and editor-in-chief of the journal Latin American Policy.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/24VsWK8
Trump statements prompt PR efforts for Mexico’s diplomats
KTRH
http://bit.ly/1ZYT0AB
Trump poses new mission for Mexico’s diplomats
Phys Org (This also appeared in Science Codex, eScience News and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1R6dEZj
Baker Institute paper: Trump poses new mission for Mexico’s diplomats
Houston Style Magazine
http://bit.ly/23W0qFT

Ranking Texas universities from most to least conservative
Rice is No. 42 on a list of the most conservative colleges in Texas.
Houston Chronicle (This also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/1WBJTaE
KXXV
http://bit.ly/27vwyES

Houston Palestine Film Festival addresses provocative cultural issues
The Houston Palestine Film Festival will be held at the Rice Cinema May 18-22 and May 26-28.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1YwtwtS

Rice professor to talk about ‘Mythbusting the Past’
Rice paleo-anthropologist and lecturer August “Gus” Costa will speak in Fort Bend May 17.
Fort Bend Herald (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1OxBVwX

Pangea Network offers Young Women Leadership Camps in Kenya, Houston
Pangea Network’s Young Women Leadership’s Camp in Houston will be hosted at Rice July 18-23.
The Woodlands Villager
http://bit.ly/1rRqYMx

Texas Southern University picks new president
Rice was named the best college in Texas by Forbes.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1OANByP
http://bit.ly/1TkGVVT

Houston-based show ‘Game of Silence’ gets, well, silenced
A slideshow mentions that parts of the film “Brewster McCloud” were shot at Rice.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1TViHxp
http://bit.ly/1WBifvc

How a mound of clay becomes a pitcher
Alumna Kristi Sloniger ’82 is featured.
Houston Chronicle (This also appeared in CT Post, Food 52, Newstimes, SF Gate, Stamford Advocate, Fairfield Citizen and Greenwich Time.)
http://bit.ly/1NwGmaU

5 things you probably don’t know about Texas Tech and Lubbock (but should)
An article mentions that Rice is among several Texas schools designated as having highest research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/1Tlvhsv

Houston, we have a solution
Findings from the 2016 Kinder Houston Area Survey are reported. Stephen Klineberg, founding director of the Kinder Institute and a professor of sociology, is quoted in the H Texas article.
H Texas
http://bit.ly/1rRDxrd
Overview of the Harris County GOP Chair runoff
Off the Kuff
http://bit.ly/1Xx0tbi

Photos of the week: May 8-14
A photo of Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is featured.
OA Online
http://bit.ly/25aE35s

Sedgwick LLP adds business litigator in Dallas
Alumna Susan Egeland ’00 is mentioned.
Kinney Recruiting’s Texas Chronicles
http://bit.ly/1R6mjuH

BROADCAST

WABC
A radio host mentions that his son will be attending Rice.
http://bit.ly/1ThWYAe (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

New answer to why Earth’s atmosphere became oxygenated
Earth scientists from Rice University, Yale University and the University of Tokyo are offering a new answer to the long-standing question of how our planet acquired its oxygenated atmosphere. Cin-Ty Lee, professor of Earth science, and Laurence Yeung, assistant professor of Earth science, are quoted and Adrian Lenardic, professor of Earth science, is mentioned.
Science Daily
http://bit.ly/1Owy6Ta
Study offers new answer to why Earth’s atmosphere became oxygenated
Phys Org
http://bit.ly/22dZpcP
Atmospheric oxygen due to plate tectonics and life
Reporting Climate Science
http://bit.ly/1OxwkXt
Rice-led study offers new answer to why Earth’s atmosphere became oxygenated
Heritage Daily (This also appeared in eScience News, Science Newsline and Environment Guru.)
http://bit.ly/1ZYMFoE
Study finds answer to why Earth’s atmosphere became oxygenated
The Financial Express (This also appeared in New Kerala, Web India 123 and ANI News.)
http://bit.ly/1TG6bSr
Growing continents helped Earth to breathe easy! Landmasses linked with rising oxygen levels on billion-year timescales
Daily Mail (This also appeared in News Grio.)
http://dailym.ai/1sjuuix

Evolutionary ‘probables’ a positive step
Rice scientists have advanced their method for determining the most likely ways genes have evolved over eons, both within and across species. Luay Nakhleh, associate professor of computer science and assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, is quoted and graduate student Dingqiao Wen and postdoctoral researcher Yun Yu are mentioned.
Phys Org
http://bit.ly/1WCxovw

Microwaved nanoribbons may bolster oil and gas wells
Wellbores drilled to extract oil and gas can be dramatically reinforced with a small amount of modified graphene nanoribbons added to a polymer and microwaved, according to Rice University researchers. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, and Rouzbeh Shahsavari, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, are quoted.
Chem Europe
http://bit.ly/1WCygjL
Microwaving a graphene composite could improve gas and oil wells
Before It’s News
http://bit.ly/1R6kYE2

Photosynthetic bacteria give biologists a cool new tool
Photosynthetic bacteria that have lived on Earth for 2.7 billion years are the source of a new and valuable biological regulatory tool being developed by Rice bioengineers. Jeff Tabor, assistant professor of bioengineering, is quoted.
Gate 2 Biotech
http://bit.ly/1Xx1iB2

#AboutLastWeek: Angular 2 steps forward, Google ruffles Oracle’s feathers and Bitcoin godfather is still MIA
An article mentions “TrumpScript,” a programing language Rice students created during HackRice.
Jaxenter
http://bit.ly/1WBo380

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Post-flood, Houston may need to rethink urban design
Leah Binkovitz, staff writer for Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, authored an op-ed about the recent Houston floods.
Gov Tech
http://bit.ly/1W0epek

As yearbooks die, colleges lose link to past
Kelley Lash, director of student publications, is quoted about universities that have stopped publishing yearbooks.
The Indiana Gazette
http://bit.ly/1rPUQc8

OpenStax teams with Knewton
Rice University-based publisher OpenStax and Knewton announced a partnership that will personalize the learning experience for college students using open source digital textbooks. Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is quoted.
New York City Biz List (This also appeared in City Biz List.)
http://bit.ly/1R6jKZD

A call to armor: Army explores stronger, lighter, cheaper protection
Designers are developing materials using the potential to offer unprecedented defense from bullets. Ned Thomas, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering, is quoted.
Army Magazine
http://bit.ly/1WCGSac

Justin Cronin wraps up ‘The Passage’ trilogy with ‘The City of Mirrors’
Justin Cronin, writer-in-residence at Rice, is featured.
Canmua
http://bit.ly/1TXqOMy

Texas roundup: Adhesys, Emily Keeton, BioMedical Enterprises and Vyopta
An article mentions that Adhesys won the Rice Business Plan Competition in 2014.
Xconomy
http://bit.ly/1Ywt8f5

Class of 2016 Ward Melville valedictorian, salutatorian announced
An article mentions a student who will attend Rice.
Three Village Patch
http://bit.ly/1OxNJzc

Koerner Quartet closes season
An article mentions the Rolston String Quartet is the ensemble in residence at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music.
Burnaby Now
http://bit.ly/24VBnFl

Stroke survivor’s hardships and courage brings much-needed perspective
Alumna Sonja Harasim ’08 is mentioned.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
http://bit.ly/1TdWpg2

Het bewijs: alle vrouwen liegen
Rice is mentioned.
Esquire (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1TVuufa

Estudiante indocumentada recorre 3 mil km en auto para que su mamá asista a su graduación en Harvard
Alumna Norma Torres Mendoza ’13 is featured.
Hoy Los Angeles (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1YyJHH2

Las consecuencias que traería la urbanización de la Van der Hammen
Alumnus Mario Noriega ’76 is mentioned.
El Tiempo (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/201ztzp

Un oxímetro fetal permite medir el oxígeno que le llega al bebé dentro del útero
Rice engineering students have created a minimally invasive device to monitor the pulse and oxygen levels of a fetus undergoing endoscopic surgery in a mother’s womb and recently carried out proof-of-concept testing at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Consalud (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1WCuC9y

Die Robo-Anwälte kommen
Moshe Vardi, director of Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology, the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, expects that within 30 years machines will be capable of doing almost any job that a human can.
Handelsblatt (This also appeared in Finanz Nachrichten, Ariva and Wirtschafts Woche.)
http://bit.ly/1OxKhiS

SPORTS

Rice adds former standout Brent Scott to basketball staff
Former Rice basketball player Brent Scott ’04 has joined the Rice basketball team as an assistant coach. Head coach Mike Rhoades is quoted in C-USA article.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1smnsJZ
http://bit.ly/1OASpEq
Monday’s sports transactions
The San Diego Union-Tribune
http://bit.ly/201wwyL
Scott added to men’s basketball coach staff
C-USA
http://bit.ly/1OBEzBF

New NCAA anti-discrimination rules could cost Houston
Rice is mentioned.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1TTknax

Louisiana in position to be well-represented in college baseball postseason
Rice baseball is mentioned.
Sports NOLA
http://bit.ly/1ZZ4CUb
UH looks to add to resume as NCAA baseball tournament nears
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/24X0Ii3
Kats visit No. 2 Texas A&M tonight
The Huntsville Item (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1smtVVd
USF and Houston take weekly AAC baseball honors
The Best College Sports News Network
http://bit.ly/1TXkAMQ

2016 FCS versus FBS: SWAC
Rice football is mentioned.
Fox Sports (This also appeared in Yahoo! Sports Canada and Yahoo! Sports.)
http://foxs.pt/1WBOTw7
Okotcha signs undrafted free agent contract with Tennessee Titans
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/22eZsFe

Berkman, Pettitte coach Second Baptist to win at Mumford
Will Rice College sophomore Josh Pettitte is mentioned.
Brazos Sports
http://bit.ly/1TXkJjl

No. 3 MSU sweeps Auburn
Rice baseball is mentioned.
The Dispatch
http://bit.ly/1TWjd0V

Burnt ends — May 16
Sid Richardson College junior James Mayden is mentioned.
Horn Sports
http://bit.ly/1V7tMRl

HTA names Wood and Shin top seeds in super championship tournament
An article mentions that Houston Tennis Association Houston Open Super Championship Junior 16-18 Major Zone tournament matches will be held at Rice.
Examiner
http://exm.nr/1ThWn1E

Final Wayne Graham Radio Show airs Monday night
The final Wayne Graham Radio Show aired May 16.
C-USA
http://bit.ly/1ThXvCa

NEWS RELEASES

Evolutionary ‘probables’ a positive step
Rice University scientists have advanced their method for determining the most likely ways genes have evolved over eons, both within and across species.
http://bit.ly/1TG6igV

Oxygen atmosphere recipe = tectonics + continents + life
Earth scientists from Rice University, Yale University and the University of Tokyo are offering a new answer to the long-standing question of how our planet acquired its oxygenated atmosphere.
http://bit.ly/257pDmB

Baker Institute paper: Trump poses new mission for Mexico’s diplomats
After months of near silence regarding Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s “increasingly hostile” comments about Mexico, the country, through its foreign ministry, is now trying to protect its image and respond more vigorously to anti-Mexican rhetoric, according to a new issue brief from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/1XveRkm